(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Senate has approved a bill that would extend the hours teenagers may work in Iowa and teens would be able to take some jobs they are not allowed to have today. Debate on the bill started Monday night and it passed with the support of 32 Republicans early today (Tuesday). Two Republicans joined Democrats in voting against the legislation. Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls spoke right after the vote.”It is almost five in the morning and as we approach the dawn of a new day it has been a dark night in the Iowa Senate,” Wahls says. ”

Wahls says the bill rolls back protections that have kept children from being exploited in the workplace. Senator Adrian Dickey, a Republican from Packwood, accused Democrats of being hypocrites. “If your outrage is because high school students are able to work until 11 p.m. in the summer, where’s your outrage all these years by not requiring high school students to be home and in bed by 11?”

The bill would allow 16 and 17 year olds to serve alcohol if they have written permission from a parent, but minors would still be barred from working in strip clubs. Fourteen year olds would be able to be paid to do things like detassel corn and use chemicals to clean kitchens or work momentarily in meat coolers. Senator Molly Donahue, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, says the bill is designed to get more kids from low income households in the workforce.”How ’bout we ensure all kids have equal access to education and the opportunities to participate in their school activities, regardless of their backgrounds?” Donahue asked.

Senator Dickey says Republicans are updating the law so eager teenagers can save money for college or a car rather than back a bill from Senate Democrats that would legalize recreational marijuana.”That Democratic logic is why your party holds a 16-34 ‘super minority’ in this senate,” Dickey said.

The bill now goes to the House for consideration.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Electronic, or E-books may be fine and convenient for some people, but for others, there’s nothing like sitting down with a good paper book. You can let your fingers turn the pages to a book you may, or may not have read, by finding it at the “Friends of the Atlantic Public Library” Book Sale. The sale takes place Wednesday, April 19 through Friday, April 21st, from 9-a.m. until 6-p.m., and on Saturday, April 22, from 9-a.m. to 2:00 pm.

Ken Moorman, with the Friends group, says they began preparing for the event by categorizing all the book donations they’ve received, days in advance.

Some of the books are from the Atlantic Public Library, that are being purged from the collection, due to age or lack of use. Moorman says most people come in and just browse the collection, while others have a specific title or author in mind. Hardback and paperback books and cookbooks, he said seem to be the most popular.

Hardback books are just One-dollar each. Paperbacks are 50-cents, and children’s books are 25-cents. Moorman says the first day of the sale is usually the busiest.

Saturday is a bargain day, and the last day of the sale. Bring your recyclable grocery bag to the library on that day, and fill it with books for just 5-dollars. Cash and checks will be accepted, but debit and credit cards will not. Ken Moorman says he often sees the same people coming back year after year for the book sale.

It’s too late to donate your books for the current event now, but you can save them for the next sale in October. Beginning September 1st, you can bring your books into the Atlantic Public Library, for the Fall event. And, Ken says he would love to have volunteers assist during event this Fall. Simply stop by this week and let the Friends of the Atlantic Public Library know you’ll be willing to help.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Iowa Western Community College’s Cass County Center in Atlantic will hold a Nursing Information Open House on Tuesday, May 2nd from 4:00pm until 6:00pm. Individuals considering a career in nursing are encouraged to stop in to learn about opportunities in the profession, what preparation is needed before enrolling in Iowa Western’s nursing program, as well as information about the LPN program that is offered at the Harlan Campus.

Get your prep-nursing classes at the Cass County Center in Atlantic. Stop by to find the answers to all your questions and meet the instructor! Call 712-243-5527 for more information.

(Rural Red Oak, Iowa) – A man from Red Oak was cited Monday afternoon for Violation of a Burn Ban – a simple misdemeanor. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports they were notified just before 5-p.m., Monday, of a fire in the 2200 block of 148th Street, northeast of Red Oak. Daniel Williams was subsequently cited into court and released at the scene. Red Oak Fire and the Montgomery County EMA assisted at the scene.

The Burn Ban in Montgomery County was placed into effect on April 5th and continues until further notice.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Red Oak Police Department reports a woman from Cass County (IA) was arrested late Monday night, following a traffic stop near Highway 48 and Ratliff Road, in Red Oak. Authorities say, upon further investigation, it was determined that 39-year-old Becky June Sulley, of Griswold, had a suspended license through Iowa. Sulley was taken into custody and transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where her bond was set at $491.25.

(Radio Iowa) – Thirty-one Republicans in the Iowa Senate have given final legislative approval to a bill that provides new liability protection to the trucking industry.The bill does NOT impact coverage of medical bills after someone is killed or severely injured in Iowa by a semi or commercial vehicle, but five million dollars would be the limit in NON-economic pain and suffering damages.

Earlier this year a lower two million dollar limit cleared the Senate, but last month 58 House members voted to set five million dollars as the cap. Republican Senator Michael Bousselot of Ankeny says the changes made by the House aren’t ideal, but the bill is a step in the right direction.

“This is a bill that is intended to lower costs for Iowans,” Bousselot said. “…Predictability and stability for critical, critical components of our supply chain.” Three Republican Senators joined all Democrats in voting against the bill. Senator Nate Boulton, a Democrat from Des Moines, says juries should still be allowed to decide how much a victim is owed without any limits.

“While I still have objections to the bill’s overall impact,” Boulton said, “I do want to take this moment to acknowledge the work done by so many to get us to a much better piece of legislation here.” Governor Reynolds first proposed a new liability shield for the trucking industry last year and she put the issue on her list of legislative priorities for this year.

(Radio Iowa) – A bill to let residents in rural areas capture or kill skunks, opossum or raccoons that are a nuisance is on its way to the governor, but not before one last laugh about how clever — and destructive — raccoons can be. Senator William Dotzler of Waterloo says a raccoon got into an old school bus he uses once a year to haul riders to RAGBRAI  — the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa.

“He ate all kinds of stuff but the worst part of aggravation is I had a RAGBRAI hat…and that raccoon defecated in my hat on the way out of the bus!” Dotzler said, as gales of laughter rolled through the Senate. Under current law, Iowans have to call a state-licensed wildlife control business to trap a raccoon if it’s causing a nuisance. The bill says people who live in rural areas outside of city limits would have permission to shoot to kill a raccoon — or a skunk or opossum — that’s ripping into things or chowing on food that’s not for them.

Senator Tom Shipley of Nodaway says the raccoon population has exploded in Iowa, partly because there’s no market for raccoon pelts. “Consequently they have become a tremendous nuisance, destroying agricultural crops, but also damaging houses — property in all aspects,” Shipley says, “and this is just going to hopefully get that population under control.” Shipley ended his comments on the bill by suggesting there may be someone in Glenwood with a replacement for the commemorative cap ruined by the raccoon on Dotzler’s RAGBRAI bus.

The bill passed the House March 7th on an 87-to-11 vote and cleared the Senate last (Monday) night 47-to-two.

(Radio Iowa) – One hundred members of the Iowa legislature have voted to let Iowa dairy farms sell raw milk. If the governor signs the bill into law, it would still be illegal to sell unpasteurized milk at farmers markets or in restaurants, but raw milk and products like cheese or yogurt made with raw milk could be sold at the farm where it’s processed. Senator Jason Schultz, a Republican from Schleswig, celebrated last (Monday) night as the senate was on the verge of taking a final action on the bill.

“Senate File 315 is the fresh milk, the freedom milk bill I call it…and I have been waiting actually 17 years to say: ‘Madame President, I mooove the Senate concur’…and ask for a yes vote,” Schultz said, getting a round of laughter from his peers. Forty-nine legislators in the House and Senate voted against the bill. Representative Megan Srinivas, a Democrat from Des Moines, says drinking raw milk can be dangerous and as an infectious disease doctor, she’s treated several children who were exposed to bacteria in raw milk.

“As an infectious disease physician, anecdotally I have seen several cases of kids who are brought before me because they’ve been exposed to the bacteria that come from unpasteurized milk,” Srinivas says. “…It’s one thing if it’s an adult choosing what milk that they’re consuming, but when we have children who are falling victim because they are given milk that can make them sick, have permanent or even lethal ramifications, that’s where I get concerned.” Representative Bobby Kaufmann, a Republican from Wilton, says people have been consuming raw milk for thousands of years.

“It’s just an option, just like I can get eggs, a quarter of beef, honey or an apple,” Kaufmann says. “We’re simply adding this to a list of foods that people can get without ‘Jiminy Cricket’ the government sitting on their shoulder and whispering what’s best for their families.”

The dairy industry opposes the bill, arguing if there’s an outbreak of serious illness associated with raw milk, then ALL milk sales will decline. If the bill becomes law, raw milk sold at an Iowa farm would have to be stored below 45 degrees and sold within seven days of a cow being milked.

Sidney, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Public Safety reported late Monday (this) evening, that at approximately 11:46-a.m., Monday, the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office along with the Sidney, Hamburg and Tabor ambulances were dispatched to 508 Main St in Sidney, for a report of a stabbing that had just occurred.

Upon arrival, first responders located two males who had been stabbed.  One subject was transported to Grape Community Hospital in Hamburg, where they were later pronounced deceased.  The second subject was life flighted to the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) in Omaha, Nebraska with life threatening injuries. No names were released.

Law Enforcement wants the public to know there is no current threat to the community.  Anyone with information about the stabbing is requested to call either the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office at 712-374-2424 or the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) at 712-322-1585.

This is an on-going criminal investigation, and no further details are being released at this time.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department’s Board of Directors met Monday evening, at City Hall. Parks Director Wyatt Adderton updated the Board on several matters. Adderton said he recently passed his training and certification for the Lifeguard class.

He said also, the date for the Park Party has changed.

In his Sunnyside Pool update, Adderton said he’s in consultation with a company working to finalize a design for the slide at the pool.

He said the hope is to have to slide installed before the pool opens. The opening date for the pool, by the way, is tentatively set for May 29th (Memorial Day). Wyatt said also, he selected Jenna Brownlee to paint a mural on the back of the pump house building for the Sunnyside Pool. She’s scheduled to complete the work May 1st through the 5th. Tom Berry was selected to paint the pool building in several different, main colors representative of what Board Member Jeremy Butler said would look “Very aquatic.”

Atlantic Parks & Rec Board meeting, 4-17-2023

He say’s in talks with Cappel’s Ace Hardware, they they should get a bit of a discount on the paint, so that will help with the costs. That project will also begin May 1st. And, with regard to the Splash Pad project, Adderton said City Hall is able to accept cash, physical checks, debit and credit cards from persons willing to donate. Board member & Fundraising Committee member Jeremy Butler reported he had received on Monday (Today), an anonymous donation of $50,000 for the project, which brings the current fundraising total at more than $100,000 toward the $600,000 goal.

Wyatt Adderton said some of the new, raised garden beds were installed today (Monday) and the old ones removed at Mollett Park (located at the end of East 3rd Street Place, off of Mulberry St.), in preparation for the leasing period that begins May 1st. Three of the beds have already been spoken for. Leasing applications are available on the Parks and Rec Facebook page and City’s Website. The raised beds cost just $40 per season, and what’s grown in them, are for private use and not public consumption.

However, there will be arioniaberry, cranberry, raspberry and blackberry plants available for the public to pluck the flavorful fruits. And finally, Adderton said new playground equipment will be installed at Harl-Holt Park, in Atlantic. The old playground set was removed and donated to a local apartment complex.

The equipment will span a pad of about 41-by-50-feet, and will include two towers. Assistant Parks Director Jeff Christensen reported to the Parks Board, that the bathrooms in the downtown City Park had been vandalized. The soap dispensers were broken. He said they are exploring whether or not a Wi-Fi monitored security camera system will work, considering the number of trees which may interfere with the signal.